An Evening at The Royal Ballet
Events
24 April 2026
For the debut of Wayne McGregor: Alchemies, Métier hosted an intimate evening with The Royal Ballet and Opera, at The Royal Opera House, offering guests a glimpse of the craft and discipline behind contemporary ballet. The evening was part of our City Stories series — an ongoing program celebrating local artists and cultural institutions from New York to London, and the communities that form around them.
The evening opened with a backstage tour where guests were able to view some of The Royal Ballet’s costume archives, where historic pieces traced the evolution of narrative and design across decades of performance. In the prop department, attention turned to the functional artistry of objects that shape the worlds on stage. Guests then proceeded to one of The Royal Ballet’s rehearsal studios, where dancers train daily — a reminder of the rigor and precision behind each performance.
The tour offered a glimpse into the often unseen elements that shape enduring work: craftsmanship, tradition, and an unwavering attention to detail. It’s an approach that resonates with Métier’s design philosophy, where process and artistic integrity are inseparable from the finished piece.
Afterwards, guests gathered for a private champagne reception before taking their seats in the Royal Box for McGregor’s latest triple bill as resident choreographer, which included performances of Untitled (2023), Yugen (2018), and the world premiere of Quantum Souls. Drawing from literature, visual art, science, and technology, McGregor approaches choreography as a form of research — expanding the possibilities of movement as a language for thought and emotion, both on stage and beyond.
It was an evening shaped as much by what happens behind the scenes as by the performance itself — a reflection of the many forms of artistry that bring ballet to life. Through experiences like this, Métier is delighted to support creative practices that move across disciplines and challenge cultural boundaries.
